บท 37: What we've lost
Alden stood outside the door of an apartment, one that overlooked the busy street down below. Alden knocked a few times on the door and waited for a reply.
"This should be it," Alden thought as he waited for a reply. After a while, he heard the sound of rushed footsteps, before a key turned and the door before him opened. Standing there was a sleepy Lily, who was still in sponge bob-themed pajamas.
"Whose there..." Lily trailed off seeing Alden by the door. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes, almost in comical confusion. "A-Alden? What are you doing here?"
"Nice PJs," Alden said, holding back a smile as he watched the once tidy Lily Park standing before him in the form of a sleepy, goofy mess.
Lily looked down at her clothing, and Alden could almost feel her horror and embarrassment.
Alden smiled.
~~~
They were currently in the lounge of Lily, and Alden silently judged Lily with his gaze. She had worn an oversized hoodie in an attempt to hide her embarrassing attire, and she just sat curled up in a ball, in one of the lounge chairs.
"Just speak," Lily mumbled, not making eye contact.
"Alright," Alden said from where he sat. "First of all, I think Sponge-bob square pants pajamas are cool, and covering them up was a bit of a bummer..."
"Just talk!" Lily said, throwing a pillow at Alden. Alden easily caught it.
"Okay," Alden said, as he finally decided to get into matters. Right at that moment, he felt something breathing heavily into his ear, from behind the chair, he turned around to come face-to-face with a large intimidating creature."Aaarhgh!" Alden yelled as he nearly fell over trying to get over from the chair. In a few seconds, he was across the room, one hand on his heart and the other stretched out toward the beast.
Lily burst out into maniacal laughter at Alden's fright, and she showed no signs of stopping. She just laughed and laughed until she was out of breath. Skip, her giant pet, growled lazily and strolled over to rest on the seat Alden had once sat in.
"S-sit down," Lily barely said in between laughs, pointing to the space on the couch next to Skip.
"No, I'll just stand here," Alden said a tight-lipped smile on his face.
Lily burst into a new wave of laughter, and Alden just mumbled to himself inaudibly.
"Who...tiger...house?" Alden muttered, trying to ignore Lily's laughter.
"Alright, now we're equal. You can talk now," Lily said to Alden, finally catching her breath.
Alden shot a cautious gaze at Skip before speaking, "So, I'm guessing you already know."
"About?" Lily asked, her gaze growing secret.
"Your parents," Alden said, as carefully as he could.
Lily's expression changed, and Skip opened a single eye, which was fixed on Alden. Alden glared back.
"How do you know about that?" Lily asked, her tone accusing.
"Chill, Arnu told me, Why me? Why did he tell me and not you?" Alden paused and shot a softened gaze at Lily. "It was because he cared for you."
"What do you mean?" Lily asked Alden.
"The money from your parents was meant to be used to establish a guild, all that was to protect you," Alden said to Lily.
"A guild?" Lily asked, her eyes widening.
"you're talented. Unlike myself, there is something special about you. Therefore, if you join another organization, you'll have much responsibility to bear. If you, however, create your guild. You're not even obligated to clear dungeons. You have more freedom, and you're safer," Alden explained to Lily.
Lily kept silent as she kept her gaze low, she was thinking about something.
"Right now, whether I like it or not, I have a responsibility. A responsibility to avenge my brothers, to bring McKing to justice. You watched the interview, didn't you? The way he so blatantly lied! He killed them, but he so shamelessly..." Lily lowered her head, hiding her face as she shook in anger...maybe.
Alden released a heavy sigh before walking over to Lily, he made sure to take the path away from Skip.
"Lily, he was not lying," Alden said, a comforting smile on his face.
Lily looked up, her eyes teary. She was about to argue but Alden stopped her.
"There were those who died so we could leave that dungeon alive. What that sacrifice means, only we can understand. We, however, did not survive for no reason. There was no coincidence or luck. Only fate and it is our fate to bring Light to justice," Alden comforted, his words soft and soothing, like balm."Be patient, I promise, I will not die until I give Light the punishment he deserves. Now, however, is not the time. He thinks we've run. He thinks we've hidden. But we haven't. We're just preparing for the next time, and next time, there'll be no next time. I promise."
Lily blinked away tears as she watched Alden speak to her. When she had first met him, he had been a broken, emotional wreck, and she did not think he was capable of taking care of even himself but...now he seemed so reliable like he could carry the burden of the world on his shoulders. However, strangely, she still did not think he could take good care of himself. No, he was far from it.
Lily nodded in reply. Alden seemed to know what he was doing.
She would trust him.
"I have to, because of what we've lost."
There was no more losing, only winning.
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